Explosive



WILLIAM BAYARD STURGIS, OF CHICAGO, SIVES COMPANY, OF CHICI LGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL EXPLO- OF MISSOURI- EXPLOSIVE.

No Drawing. Application filed May 16,

sidin at Chicago, in the county of Cook and tate of Ilhnois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Explosives, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a new composition of matter constituting an exploslve designed primarily for commercial uses, and of the sort which is exploded by detonation.

The general purpose of the inventlonis the provision of an explosive of suflicient concentration and power to fulfil commercial requirements, which is properly sensitive to assure its detonation by suitable .predetermined means, yet which is of such stability as to resist detonation from casual or unintentional influences, such as shock or friction in handling and setting, or other influences to which an explosive is exposed in ordinary commercial use.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an explosive having the attributes above mentioned, and which in addition thereto, is not adversely affected by reduction in temperature, either as to power or as to safety.

A further object is the provision of an explosive having the several attributes above specified, and which is adapted to be manufactured at low cost, due both to the simplicity of the operations involved in its preparation, and particularly to the low cost of the ingredients entering into its composition.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an explosive having the aforemenltioned characteristics and which may be prepared in different grades or strengths without undesirably affecting its sensitiveness or stability in either direction.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be pointed out hereinafter, indicated in the appended claims, or will be obvious to one skilled in the art upon an understanding of the present disclosure. The present application is predicated upon the disclosure of a composition of matter formed of certain specified ingredients,

Specification of Letters Patent. Pagn ted g t 1 1921 1921. Serial No. 470,106.

which, due to their respective character- 1st1cs, 1nteract when combined to produce an essentially new composition possessing oer-- tam novel characteristics in both its static form and its explosion. It is to be understood, however, that my invention resides in the novel composition of matter having thesedistinctive attributes, and that it therefore is not limited to the particular ingredientsherein named, or to their specific roportlons, I being aware that substitutions may be made in the constituent ingredients, and variations in their proportions, without essential modification of the resulting composltion.

For the purpose of the objects above specified, I utilize as the ingredients of my new composition of matter, materials which by virtue of their characteristics, are not adversely affected by reductions in temperature, and combine these materials with modifying ingredients which contribute to the combination the desired sensitiveness to detonation of a predetermined sort and the desired stability and insensitiveness to other influences. For illustration, by taking proper proportions of a perchlorate such as ammonium perchlorate, and a nitro compound such as dinitrotoluol or dinitrobenzene, and an oxidizing agent such as nitrate of soda, and combining with them a sulfid of a metal, such as zinc sulfid, I produce a new composition having distinctly novel and advantageous characteristics as a commercial explosive. It may be desirable to employ also a small proportion of a suitable reducin substance such as paraflin or wood flour. The use of dinitrotoluol instead of more highly nitrated compounds is distinctly advantageous from the standpoint of economy, as the production of the latter is a special manufacture, while dinitrotoluol is essentially a by-product in the manufacture of certain dyes, wherein it is derived as a ready outlet for using up the excess orthonitrotoluol produced in the preparaof zinc sulfid is also of advantage from the standpoint of economy, as it occurs as a natural ore known as sphalerite, which simply retquires grinding and drying in order to ren or it suitable for employment in the composition. While the employment of di nitrotoluol in conjunction w th perchlorates is not new, explosives utilizing this combination heretofore have not possessed the desired density, or the requisite sensitiveness to assure detonation and complete reaction, and while it is recognized that perchlorate explosives have been manufactured in which a small percentage of sulfur has been ut lized for the purpose of overcoming 1nsens1- tiveness, experience has demonstrated that if amounts much in excess of 5% are employed, the explosives are rendered dangerous y sensitive to friction. In my improved composition I obtain the deslred sensitiveness and density and at the same time produce an explosive which is not unduly sensitive to friction, by the use of a compound in which the sulfur is chemically combined with a metal, such as the sulfids of zinc and iron. The composition resulting from the combination of these ingredients produces an explosive which will safely withstand the mechanical shocks and friction incident to loading, yet which is readily detonated by a small quantity of fulminate of mercury, such as contained in an ordinary blasting cap or detonator. By the action of such a detonator the sulfur in the metallic sulfid is liberated from its combined state by the heat, and is thereby rendered efiective to propagate thereaction. An added advantage results from this combination in the fact that the use of a metallic sulfid attains the dual object of giving the explosive the desired density and contributing to the power of the explosive, the latter being accomplished by the combination of both the sulfur and metallic content with the oxygen which is liberated upon the ex 10- sion, which reaction contributes to the e ectiveness of the explosion.

As examples of combinations productive of my improved explosives I cite the following, but it is to be understood that changes in the proportions noted or substitution of different in redients may be made without department rom the essence of the invention.

As examples of various substances which may employed, it may be found desirable in instance to include in the explosive other nitrated compounds such as d1- nitrobenzene, trinitrotoluol, nitrated starch,

etc., and to incorporate with these such substances as wood flour wheat flour, sawdust, organic and inorganic nitrates, and oxids and silicids of metals.

Divers ways of pre aring and combining the constituents wil be obvious to one skilled in the art. As an example of one method, the several constituents may be reduced mechanically to a comminuted form of substantially uniform mesh, the paraffin being meltedand applied to constitute a surfacin material, and the several ingredients in t eir comminuted form then mixed in the proper proportions. The composition in this form may then be packaged in suitable merchantable cartridges. Another method is first to melt the nitro compoundsgredients may be mentioned vegetable or mineral oils and so called liquid T. N. T.

I claim:

1. As a new composition of matter, a nonfreezing explosive containin a nitro-compound, a perchlorate and a su fid of a metal.

2. As a new composition of matter, an explosive containing a nitro-compound, a perchlorate and a sulfid of a metal, all in solid form.

3. As a new composition of matter, an explosive containing a nitro-compound, a perchlorate, a sulfid of a metal, and an oxidizing material.

4. As a new composition of matter, an explosive containing a nitro-compound, a perchlorate, a sulfid of a metal, an oxidizing agent, and a reducing substance.

5. As a new composition of matter, an explosive containing a dinitro-compound, a perchlorate, and a metallic-sulfid.

6. As a new composition of matter, an explosive containin a dinitro-compound, a perchlorate, an oxi izing agent, and a metallic sulfid.

7. As a new composition of matter, an explosive containing a dinitro-compound, a perchlorate, an oxidizin agent, a reducing substance, and a sulfid o a metal.

8. As a new composition of matter, an explosive containing dinitrotoluol, a perchlorate, and a sulfid of a metal.

9. As a new composition of matter, an explosive containing dinitrotoluol, a perchlorat:,lan oxidizing agent, and a sulfid of a me a '10. As a new composition of matter, an

chlorate, an oxidizing agent, a sulfid of a metal and a reducing substance.

11. As a new composition of matter, an explosive containing dinitrotoluol, ammonium perchlorate, and zinc sulfid.

12. As a new composition of matter, an explosive containing dinitrotoluol, ammonium perchlorate, an oxidizing agent, and a metallic sulfid.

13. As a new composition of matter, an explosive containing dinitrotoluol, ammonium perchlorate, an oxidizin agent, a metallic sulfid and a reducing substance.

14. As a new compositlon of matter, an explosive containing a nitro-compound 3% to 35%, a perchlorate 5% to 80%, a metallic sulfid 1% to and an oxidizing agent.

15. As a new composition of matter, an explosive containing a nitro-compound 3% to 35%, a perchlorate 5% to 80%, a metallic sulfid 1% to 25%, an oxidizing agent and a reducing substance.

16. As a new composition of matter, a non-freezing explosive containing one or more nitro-compounds 3% to 35%, one or more perchlorates 5% to 80%, one or more oxidizing agents 1% to 80%, sulfids of one or more metals 1% to 25%, and one or more reducing substances.

17, As a new composition of matter, a non-freezing explosive containing one or more nitro-compounds 3% to 35%, one or more perchlorates 5% to 80%, one or more oxidizing agents 1% to 80%, sulfids of one or more metals 1% to 15%, and one or more reducing substances 1% to 20%.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name.

WILLIAM BAYARD STURGIS. 

